Aerial projecting device



- April 30, 1929. H T, NELsb 1,111,122

AERIAL PROJECTING .DEVI CE Filed Feb. 18, 1928 I A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 30, 1929..

UNITED STATES HARRY '1. NELSON, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

AERIAL PROJECTING DEVICE.

Application filed February 18, 1928. Serial No. 256,362.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in aerial projecting devices.

The object of the invention is to provide an aerial projecting device which may be used as a toy or as a signaling device, or for any other purpose for which it is suitable.

One object of the invention is to provide a propeller having a parachute attached thereto so that when said propeller is set in motion it will rise to sundry elevations and carry the parachute with it so that when the propeller has spent its energy and begins to fall the parachute will be opened, thereby carrying the propeller safely and comparatively slowly to the ground, such an opera tion producing either a pleasing or useful effeet or both.

Another object of the invention is to provide a propeller with a parachute attached thereto, and preferably by means of a swivel connection, so that the parachute is not rotated by the propeller and is free to hang dormant while said propeller is ascending; together with means for holding the para chute closed during the ascentand automatically releasing the parachute to open upon the beginning of the descent.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a projecting device for the propeller equipped with a support or carrier for the parachute, said projecting device being so mounted as to expel the propeller upwardly when said device is rotated at the proper speed.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for retaining on the projectdevice the otherwise free propeller, until the speed of rotation of the projecting device has been built up to such a point that the propeller, upon being released, will rise to an approximated height and carry the parachute with it.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention and being shown partly in elevation and partly in section,

Fig. 2 is a view of the propeller and parachute as the parts appear when ascending Fig. 3 is a view of the same parts showing them as they appear when descending,

Fig. l is an elevation of the upper end of the impeller cup showing one of the retaining lugs,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the propeller.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a yoke-shaped bracket having a lower arm 11 and an upper arm 12. To secure the best results the bracket should be rigidly held. I have shown the bracket connected to the shank 13 of a handle 14 by means ofbolts 15 passing through the bracket and said shank and secured. by wing nuts 16. This enables the bracket to be readily detached from the shank of the handle and secured to any other support, such as a post (not shown) fixed in the ground. The manner of mounting the bracket 10 is, therefore, subject to variation and option.

One satisfactory form of projecting or impelling device includes a cup or container 17 luiving an axially depending stem or spindle 18. An enlarged bearing boss 21 surrounds the upper end of the spindle and rests upon the arm 12. The spindle extends through apertures 19 and in the arms 11 and 12 and has on its lower end a head 20 which limits the upward displacement of the spindle. A spindle of this character may be readily rotated and its speed of rotation built As a simple means for rotating the spindle, I provide a hole 23 for receiving one end of a cord 24 which is wound around said spindle. The spindle, preferably being formed of metal, will be rapidly rotatedwhen the cord is unwound therefrom by a sudden pull, as in the spinning of an ordinary toy top. The momentum imparted by the weight of the cup and the general construction of the impelling member will maintain the rotary motion at a suflicient speed for carrying out the desired operation. I wish it distinctly understood that while I have shown a cord for imparting rotation to the spindle, the invention is not to be limited to such means, as it is obvious that a number of well known mechanical devices could be applied to the spindle to impart sutlicient rotation thereto.

An important feature of the invention is the propeller 25 and I have experimented with many different forms and types; therefore, the form shown is merely for the purpose of illustration. This two-blade propeller is provided with a central aperture 26 and diametrically opposite openings :2? on each side of the'apcrture. A headed stud 28 has its shank freely depending through the aperture 26 to receive a small ring 29 tronrwhieh a short cord 30 is suspended. swivel coupling 31 is attached to the opposite end of the cord 30 and the several cords 32 oi a small parachute are attached to the coupling 31. in Fig. 2 the propeller supports the stud and the coupling 31 permits the propeller to freely rotate without rotating the parachute and the stud loose enough in the aperture 26 to permit independent rotation of said propeller. in Fig. 3 the stud :28 supports the propeller and any rotation of the propeller would not be communicated to the parachute. When the propeller is ascending, the parachute is closed by a ring 3% which holds the lower ends of the cords 32 together, as is shown in Fig. 2. When the propeller has spent its energy, and being heavier, turns over and starts its descent, the ring, owing to gravity, will slide down the cords 32 and thus permit the pa 'achute to open, as is shown in Fig. 3.

In using the device, the parachute is reposited in the cup 17 and the propeller rested upon the upper edge of said cup. It is, of course, necessary to support the parachute in some suitable manner until. the p ropeller is set in motion and while the cup has proven very satisfactory, other forms ot' supports or containers could be used. In Ol'tldl to project the propeller to a sizable height. say for instance more than fifteen or twenty feet, a pair of diametrically opposite lugs are provided on the upper edge of the cup 17 and these lugs are received in the opeuings 27 when the propeller is placed upon the cup. As is best shown in 4, each lug has one vertical. edge out back and the edges which are thus treated are those on the advance sides of the lugs with reference to the rotation of the cup. The reason for this obvious, because the lugs must overhaul? the propeller while it is being rotated by means of said lugs. From this it follows that the upward displacement of. the propeller il'iri'un the cup will be resisted by said overhanging lugs. So long as power or acceleratmr 15-5 applied to the spindle the cup and propeller are rotated together, but when the application of power is stopped, as by the withdrawal of the cord from the spindle, the spindle will lose speed. Upon this coiulition the propeller will tend to advance relatively of the lugs. thus clearing the overhanging edges and racing.

The operation and use of the device has been fully set forth, but in general it may he stated that the cord 24 wound around the spindle 18 with one end inserted in the hole 23 and the other end tree to be grasped by th operatm', while holding the handle 14 with the other hand. The parachute 33 is deposited in the cu l7 and the propeller is placed on top or the cup with the lugs 35 engaged in the openings 27. l ly sialdcnly and vigor-oi sly pulling the cord ill it is un- Wound from the spindle 18, whereby the latter is caused to rotate.

lifter sulhcient speed has been built up the propeller will climb the inclined edges 36 oi the lugs and having. thus been set in motion, will ftE-lCQlltl and carry the parachute with it, as is shown in Fig. 2. hen the propeller has spent its energy it will begin to fall, the ring 3st sliding down the cords 32 and permitting the parachute to open, as is shown in l? The propeller will thus be safely and comparatively slowly carried to the ground and a very attractive and useful device is thus produced.

arious changes in the size and shape of the different parts, as well as modifications and alterations, may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

"What I claim, is:

1. As a sub-combination in an aerial projecting device, a rotatable propeller, a flexible connection having its upper end swiveled to the propeller, and a parachute swiveled on the lower end of the connection.

2. In an aerial projecting device, a support, a carrier, at spindle depending from the carricr and journaled for rotation in the sup port, and a rotary propeller having a parachute attacl ed thereto and both the propeller and parachute being detachably mounted on the carrier.

In an aerial projecting device, a support, a spindle journaled for rotation in the support, a parachute container mounted on the upper end of the spindle, and means carried by the upper portion of the container to detachably support a rotary, propeller connected to the parachute within the container.

4. In an aerial projecting device, a sup port, a spindle journaled :tor rotation in the support, a container mounted on the upper end oi the spindle, a propeller resting on and movable upwardly from the container, and a parachute attached to the propeller and nest ed within the container.

5. In an aerial projecting device, a sup port, an impelling member journaled for retation in the support and provided with a container, upstanding projections on the impelling container, a propeller resting upon said container and having openings for receiving said projections, each projection having an inclined edge overhanging the propcllerfor resisting the upward. displacement of said propeller until the speed oi rotation of said impelling container has fallen below the speed of rotation of the propeller, and a parachute attaehed to the propeller and nested within the container.

6. In an aerial projecting device, a bracket,

a cup, a spindle depending from the cup and journaled in the bracket lugs on the upper edge of the cup, a propeller resting on the cup and having apertures receiving the lugs, and

a parachute swiveled to the propeller and confined Within the cup.

7. In an aerial projecting device, a support, a rotatable impelling member including a container, a propeller, a parachute attached to the propeller and disposed Within the container, and means upon the container for supporting the propeller and preventing relative u Ward displacement thereof until the speed 0t rotation of the impelling member is less than that of the propeller.

8. As a sub-combination in an aerial projecting device, a rotatable propeller, a connecting member having one end swiveled to the propeller, and a parachute directly connected to the opposite end of said member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARRY T. NELSON. 

